2021 Award Winners Named

The Greater Iowa City Area HBA presented its 2021 yearly awards recently during its Annual Meeting at the Courtyard by Marriott Iowa City University Heights.

Awards and recipients are:

2021 Builder of the Year:  Hodge Construction 

In recognition for outstanding and dedicated service to the building industry.
Now into its second generation, Hodge Construction celebrates four decades of helping developers and property owners with their projects. The company’s family members and employees have done many good things, and the business is a pillar of our community. Whether it’s church activities or enabling volunteer involvement on the Shelter House 501 project that will provide permanent, supportive housing for Iowa City’s homeless, Hodge Construction exemplifies the word builder.

2021 Remodeler of the Year:  ACE Student Remodel Teachers and Students

In recognition for their dedicated efforts to the remodeling industry.
Industrial Technology instructors John Reynolds (Iowa City High School) and Micah Casper (Liberty High School) and 17 students participated in the HBA’s first Architecture-Construction-Engineering (ACE) Student Remodel during the Spring. The project was a collaboration among The Greater Iowa City Area HBA Vocational Training Council; the Iowa City Community School District; the City of Iowa City; and Kirkwood Community College. Students persevered through COVID restrictions and fluctuating schedules to gain hands-on, skilled-trades experience while delivering a high-quality remodel of a fire-damaged duplex. Giving youth such opportunities is critical to developing the construction industry’s future workforce and combatting the field’s 344,000 worker shortfall. Their efforts enabled the City of Iowa City to offer a home to a low-income family and won a Corridor Business Journal Workforce Leaders award in the category of Existing Employment Needs (Small Company).

2021 Associate of the Year:  Katy Stutsman, McCreedy-Ruth Construction

In appreciation for her time and dedication to The Greater Iowa City Area HBA.
Katy Stutsman of McCreedy-Ruth Construction is the first person to win Associate of the Year a second time, having pocketed the accolade in 2014. She has been an interior designer in the home-building industry for numerous years, earning trust and admiration from clients and colleagues. Katy has mentored many new to the industry. Her involvement in Iowa City Area HBA activities – whether it’s the Parade of Homes, the Home Show or Women’s Council – demonstrates dedication to the organization’s mission and sets an example for how members can get involved and the benefits of doing so. 

2021 Industry Partner: Tim Rouse and the Durant Community School District

 In recognition for their commitment to the building industry’s future.
During the past five years, Durant High School’s Industrial Technology Instructor Tim Rouse has grown his school’s curriculum and expanded participation exponentially. He was the instructor on the 2018 Iowa City Area HBA Student-Built House project (reinstituted after 11 years) – for which he and the students won the Iowa City Area HBA Builder of the Year Award – and in 2020 secured funding for tools, materials/supplies, a job trailer and skid steer. All to give students vital experience. In 2021, Durant received two grants: one from the National Housing Endowment (NHE) to purchase a mini excavator and more tools; the other a $15,000 Schools to Skills Grant from the Home Builders Institute (HBI); the Home Depot Foundation; the NHE; and others. Money is being used to implement HBI’s Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training program. The first Iowa City Area HBA National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Chapter, Tim and Durant’s efforts in advocating and training youth for careers in the skilled trades are a prototype for developing the industry’s workforce through high schools.

2021 Tim Ruth Distinguished Leadership Award:  GT Karr, Sueppel’s Siding & Remodeling

In appreciation for his service, dedication and leadership to The Greater Iowa City Area HBA.
GT Karr, owner of Sueppel’s Siding & Remodeling, previously won this award in 2019. GT led the Iowa City Area HBA’s first ACE Student Remodel. The collaboration with multiple entities provided youth hands-on, skilled-trades experience and produced a tier-one renovation that positively impacted housing affordability and energy efficiency for the community. GT is the 2021 Iowa City Area HBA president; past Remodelers Council chair; serves on the Parade of Homes, Home Show and Legislative Committees; and is a Home Builders Association of Iowa board member and NAHB national director. He is currently on Johnson County’s Livable Community Housing Action Team and has served on Iowa City’s Climate Action and Historic Preservation Commissions, among other committees. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Johnson Clean Energy District.